


Lights, Music, Sound

by SoundTheStereo



Category: colin morgan - Fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-15
Updated: 2014-05-24
Packaged: 2018-01-19 13:34:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1471705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoundTheStereo/pseuds/SoundTheStereo





	1. Chapter 1

Surprisingly, my favorite part of any day was my 30 minute bus ride to and from my work. Living in the heart of Chicago, the best of what this magnificent city had to offer was right at my fingertips. 

When I first arrived I was very fortunate to be accompanied by a close friend, one who had grown up and lived her whole life here. Almost 2 years I've lived in this city, no longer new to me but its surprises were endless. 

Fresh out of college with a degree in Zoology, the middle of Chicago wasn't an ideal place for me to find a job. But with a friend and a chance for new adventures, I couldn't resist. Plus, with an angry mother at home despising my decision to go, it was an 'anywhere but here' sort of decision. 

All through school I was blessed with the most amazing friends. They stood with me through everything, the worst parts of my life, and I missed them with all my heart. Besides my work, I was all alone. My 60 minutes a day spent on the bus was the only contact I shared with the outside world. 

A year ago I shut myself out. Using my work as an excuse to forget what I really needed at the time, a friend, one that wasn't miles away. I barely ate, I barely slept, hid away just me and my sound board. 

My beautiful, 4 year, thousands of dollar degree was being put to excellent use, by working with music. 

In high school I did theater, never one for acting , I took to crew, starting out as an observer, and running errands for whomever to taking charge of the sound board my junior and senior years. 

My work through high school was enough to land me a job at the record company I currently work at. Natalie and I had applied for the job together while still in school, after we had decided to live together. We started out as interns, being paid to file paperwork, keep track of customers and artists that use the studio, housekeeping and anything the bosses, producers or customers needed. Natalie and I enjoyed the job immensely; working together was just a fabulous bonus. 

After the first few months William, our sound producer, took an interest in me and my past work with sound equipment.  
"I need help. I'd also need someone to take over if anything were to happen to me" he would say to me. In his late 40s, a wife and two kids at home, he needed all the help he could get. 

As William shown more interest I found myself spending my lunch breaks and free time by his side, helping him every so often with the controls, giving input on mixes, he even allowed me to work with a few artists separately from him, producing songs that made it onto albums. 

During my breakdown, William was let go and I was made the new producer of Albion Records. 

I threw myself into my work, finding whatever excuse I could come up with so I wouldn't have to go back to my apartment, or having any involvement with the world that hurt me. During this time however I started to create music for myself, waiting every night for the janitor to leave so I could be alone. I'd go into the booth and talk my lyrics, record them and take the board. I created drum beats, guitar chords, and piano chords, anything from what we had recorded in the studio. 

Those nights I'd be at work until 2 am, only to be back in the morning at 8. It was much more dangerous for me to be walking the streets of Chicago so late at nigh than neglecting myself but I didn't care. Music was the only thing I had, it was the only thing I wanted, and whatever else, was nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

Three months after I lost everything my bosses began to notice my downfall. I wasn't nervous when they called me into their office that afternoon, more confused as to why they needed to speak to me. 

Matt and Craig were mutual partners, playing in the same band when they were younger, founding Albion Records in early 2006. Friends they had made in their band days had given them a following, making Albion a well-known record label within a year. 

I waited in their office alone for a few minutes, yawning and shaking, feeling the worst I had ever felt. Matt was the first to speak when they walked in,  
"Good morning Lindsay. How have you been?"  
I held back a yawn and smiled,  
"I'm doing fine. How are you?"  
"Good, good" he replied.  
"Do you know why we asked you here?" Craig asked. I shook my head. 

"First off, we just wanted to let you know that you are doing an amazing job despite the events of the past few months"   
I cringed, tightly putting my lips into a hurtful smile. My actions only grew my bosses' suspicions.   
"Lindsay, you are one of the most valuable members of our staff" Matt started,  
"After everything that's been happening Craig and I are so impressed you're still in one piece"   
I shifted slightly in my chair, my hands shaking even worse than they had before. I wanted the subject changed, I didn't want to talk about me, I didn't want to talk about the past or anything. I just wanted the safety of my little room, with the board under my fingers.   
Craig sat on the side of the desk  
"Lindsay, we are worried about you"  
My words shot out before I could stop them,  
"I'm fine. I've worked hard and done my very best these last few months. I know my work is adequate and I'm good at what I do. I've poured my heart and soul into the songs I've created and our customers have been happy with the results. I don't understand the problem here"

Matt swiveled in the chair he sat in behind the desk, his fingers intertwined together.   
"We are giving you a few days off. You haven't given yourself time to cope. Take an early weekend, we will pay you for Thursday and Friday" he paused so I could interrupt.  
"Matt, Craig please; I've got so much work to do. Who will produce our appointments? I don't trust anyone else to do my job"  
Matt got up; defensively I did the same.  
"Craig and I can handle everything. Lindsay, you need to get yourself better. You haven't slept, you're here even later than the janitor, and I don't remember the last time you took a lunch break"  
"You've done a great job focusing on the music, now it's time to focus on yourself" Craig added. 

I took a deep breath. I was comfortable enough with my bosses to argue, but not to disagree.  
"Okay. May I finish my work today? I've got a few things I'd like to finish" they both nodded,  
"But come five o'clock, you are out of here. We'll make sure of it" Matt said with a smile. I smiled back, clenching my hands into fists.   
"Thank you" and I left.

At the time I was furious. I appreciated their concern but my personal life was none of their business. Working was how I coped. I knew it wasn't the best but it's all I could do without completely falling apart.   
That day I plunged further into my work than I had ever gone before. I couldn't possibly think of my four days of nothingness, inside that apartment I despised.   
Just like Matt had promised, five o'clock came and he was in my room, turning the board off for me  
"Get some rest and enjoy"   
I smiled the fakest smile I could muster. I grabbed my things, plugged my headphones in my ears, gathered the $2.50 I needed for the bus and walked out.


	3. Chapter 3

The air was unusually satisfying, improving my mood just a tad. There was a few people at the bus stop, all of them new faces to me. It had been a few weeks since I last rode, Rory, the driver, had noticed there was something wrong. My spotty attendance after a solid year of perfection. I was excited to see him again. 

I only waited a few minutes with the small group before Rory's smiling face was seen behind the big, square glass. He waved and I waved back, smiling truly for the first time without the help of music in a very long time. I paused my music, allowed the others to go before me and entered the gigantic motor vehicle. Rory raised his arms from the wheel when I walked on

"Hello stranger!" he sort of cheered. I inserted the money and smiled,   
"Hi Rory. How have you been?"  
"Alright. Would have been better to see your beautiful face every day. Where have you been?"  
"Working. We've gotten a lot of new clients. But I'm thankful for the work. Keeps me busy" Rory nodded, closing the doors and began moving the bus. 

"How ARE you going? It's only been a few months" I held onto the back of his seat and patted his shoulder   
"I'm fine" and I took my normal seat. 

Near the front of the bus the seats were styled like benches, seating about four each. Halfway down the length of the bus is when the seats turned old school, primary school style, seating two each, sometimes three but the bus never got that full. I turned my music back on and ignored Rory's worried glances at me from the mirror. 

Rory was the sweetest old guy I have ever met. Natalie had struck a conversation with him our first day riding. 64 and married for 40 years, 3 children and 8 grandchildren. The three of us had grown close over the course of a year, a year that seemed so long ago. 

I stared out as the city flowed by, begging myself to see the beauty of my great city but only seeing the hurt it had caused me. It only took a few minutes for me to feel angry again so I turned my back, just like I had to the world months before. 

That day was the moment my life changed. My stubbornness, my hatred and most of all, my heart, had saved me.


End file.
